


i still wanna be your favorite boy

by Lightning_Anonymous



Category: Amateur Ninja (Video Games)
Genre: (tucks you in but like threateningly), HEY WAIT WHY ARE BOTH OF THE FIRST CHARACTERS I WROTE ABOUT FOR DD AND AN, If You Squint - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Pining, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Other, PEOPLE WITH OLD FASHIONED CELLPHONE GIMMICKS, and now amateur ninja, but - Freeform, first it was amateur surgeon, funny telephone dude and funny coffee man but they emotionally support each other, hurt/comfort is a loose term, i just think theyre neat...., i think i have the right i own this fandom /hj, none of these tags are coherent, the holy trinity of fandoms i created the tags for, then diner dash, what!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29980398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightning_Anonymous/pseuds/Lightning_Anonymous
Summary: Sometimes, everyone needs some rest.Even the guy who's been hyped up on coffee for the past three months and hasn't slept in just as long.Especiallythat guy.
Relationships: Norman Shakes & Dick Masterson
Kudos: 3





	i still wanna be your favorite boy

**Author's Note:**

> woah! two fandom tags created in one week!? yeah im trapped in the holy trinity that is amateur surgeon, diner dash, and amateur ninja. im not proud but, like, at the same time....... (heart locket gif) norman shakes my beloved........ hes probably one of the most chill people in that game. he is getting a NAP okay. also mr masterson sir...... (hands him a ring pop). overall i think norman and masterson are cute. do i ship them? find out! anyways this goes out to the two people max reading this. lissa and nick... hands u two chocolate insects. ily guys stay safe /p
> 
> (rated T for minor swearing)

"When was the last time you slept, darling?"

The question made Norman jolt, almost spilling a few drops of his coffee on the carpeted floor. His expression shifted from a neutral exhaustion to a scowl, only to flip right back to the former upon seeing who it was. Mostly, anyways. He hadn't been able to make out most things near him for the past month, but he brushed it off as just needing glasses (that he'd never get) instead of acknowledging the constant tired haze his brain was in. It took an almost concerning amount of time for the question to process in his head, and when it did, he realized he didn't have an answer.

So he just scoffed and took a swig of coffee from his mug. "I don't know, _Masterson_ -" His hand twitched, and this time a few drops _did_ spill. "-dammit. When was the last time you _didn't_ call everyone darling?" Norman tried to sound angry, he really did, but everything he said came out a half-hearted mumble that made him sound like he was going to pass out any moment. The caffeine desperately needed to kick in.

Richard Masterson, head of the marketing department, hummed softly as he looked Norman up and down. It seemed less scrutinizing and more concerned, but Norman couldn't help the fact he shuffled a few steps back. After a million and one meetings with the hellspawn that was his boss, he'd become accustomed to staying out of the limelight. But Masterson could get a pass this once, purely because Norman didn't mind his company too much- which was saying a lot when it came to Norman "Asshole of the Year" Shakes.

(No, seriously, they made a whole award for it two months into his employment. It was still in his office. He wasn't proud of it.)

"If you mind it so much, just say so, sweetheart! I can change my types of endearment just for you." Masterson shot Norman finger guns, beaming. Norman wouldn't admit it, but his face flushed just the slightest bit. " _Buuuut_ you didn't answer the question. When's the last time you got decent rest, buddy?"

Norman was prepared to start with, _"we aren't buddies,"_ then realized that would be a bold-faced lie. "Never said I really cared that much," he started with, doing his best to avoid eye contact. "I don't need sleep. I can't, honestly. Gotta work on covering up the deals, so if I sleep this whole damn place has to sleep. You really wanna deal with Edna losing her mind at the nearest sap of an intern over that shit?" His hand squeezed the mug's handle a bit tighter than he meant to as he took another sip. 

Masterson clicked his tongue and leaned in close. "Darling. Sweetheart. _Buddy_."

"Your pet names have an absurd amount of variation."

"I try!" He laughed. "But, pray tell, when did I say that nobody would be covering the work? It wouldn't be my first time handling a shift, dear. I could take it up easily, and as scared as we all are of Edna, she's about as smart as your average house fly. She won't know anything's wrong."

The corners of Norman's lips twitched upward in a smile. "That's an insult to house flies, Masterson." He gestured towards a fly that had been fluttering around the coffee machine with his mug. "Apologize."

There was a moment of silence, then the two cracked up laughing at their own antics. "You're funny when you want to be, buddy," Masterson remarked with a grin that seemed _much_ more genuine than the one he wore around everyone else.

Norman shrugged. "Never heard that before." A pause. "Usually because I don't wanna be funny, but, hey. You're a lucky guy, I guess." A sip of coffee. "Either way, uh, about the offer. I don't, uh..." He sighed, breath shaky- whether that was because of concern or the caffeine in his body, it was unclear. "...I don't want you risking that, Masterson. I've been up for months now. I can handle it, really, I can-"

"I know you think you can, but, sweetheart... staying up for so long isn't healthy! I insist. Consider it my gift to you for managing to stay at this company for over a week. Most people don't survive past internship." Masterson swung an arm over Norman's shoulders. This time, when a bit of coffee spilled onto the floor, Norman couldn't find it in him to care.

A silence as he considered the offer, running his free hand through messy curls. "...I mean- I'm not opposed, but are you _really_ sure-"

Masterson suddenly took the coffee mug out of Norman's hands and finished it off, then pushed it onto the nearby counter. "I wouldn't make the offer if I wasn't sure, dear. Now-" He took Norman by the hand, leading him towards the staff only room. "-come here. I'll get you _aaaall_ cozied up, and then you can get the rest you've needed for far too long!" The two walked in and Norman sat down on the couch, tucking himself into the corner of it against one of the pillows. Masterson left to go get blankets, leaving Norman to think about... everything.

Masterson was everything.

That man- he was the head of marketing, seen as quite the monster among men. He indirectly terrorized any other business who dared to rear its head at Megacorp, directed everyone around the office and made a point to be the most powerful he could to the staff. And yet, Masterson was wasting time he could be using for anything else to take care of _Norman Shakes_ , notorious coffee addict who was rumored to get a bit more shaky and a lot more flushed around the marketing head. Someone who was only good for the painful amount of work he had to do. Someone _irrelevant_.

And yet, Masterson at least pretended to care. Why the hell would that be? Unless Masterson also--

"I'm back!" The door opened abruptly, knocking Norman out of his thoughts. Masterson quickly walked inside the staff lounge, wrapping Norman in at least five different blankets with that same sweet, genuine grin he'd had ever since they'd started talking. Norman curled up tight in them, accepting the sudden comfortable warmth. "Will that be enough, darling? Anything else you need? Oh, and don't worry about anyone coming in. I came up with a wonderful excuse in case anyone asks why the door's locked. Don't sweat it, sweetie."

Norman's smile became soft and sweet- oh god, he was actually _smiling_. How long had it been since he'd done that? "You've done more than enough. Thank you. But, uh, I'm probably gonna sleep like the fucking _dead_ when I do conk out. No telling when I'll wake up."

Masterson nodded curtly. "I assumed so. No need to fret, I have _everything_ under control."

"As always."

"You could say that." Masterson waved goodbye to Norman. "Sweet dreams, dear," he said, stepping out of the room. The door clicked shut behind him, and Norman heard the door lock a couple seconds later.

Norman fell asleep in a bundle of blankets with thoughts about one marketing director who called him 'darling' and had particularly pretty eyes. Not like you needed to know who that was.

...

As if it wasn't obvious. 


End file.
